Durham was an announcer for the Bulls during the team's '91 championship run

ESPN's JIM DURHAM, who was the lead play-by-play announcer for ESPN Radio's NBA coverage, passed away over the weekend at his home in Tomball, Texas, at the age of 65. His final ESPN assignment was last Tuesday’s NBA season opener between the Celtics and Heat. He joined ESPN in ‘92, where he called college basketball and MLB games in addition to the NBA. Prior to joining ESPN, Durham had been a TV announcer for the Mavericks from ’93-'01. He also served as radio and television commentator for the Bulls from ’73-91, White Sox TV play-by-play announcer from ’89-90, and Astros TV commentator from ’83-85. Durham last year was honored by the Basketball HOF with the Curt Gowdy Media Award (ESPN). In Chicago, K.C. Johnson notes Durham called the Bulls’ “first championship season" in '91. The tributes to Durham that “flowed freely” yesterday “spoke not only to Durham's broadcasting talent, but also to his generosity and gentlemanly nature.” The Chicago native was “widely hailed for having time for anyone to talk broadcasting and basketball.” Durham “worked solo when he first joined the Bulls before suggesting using JOHNNY 'RED' KERR for color commentary.” Their partnership featured “healthy doses of humor along with knowledge.” Durham was honored as Illinois Sportscaster of the Year in ‘79, ‘89 and ‘90 and “won two local Emmy awards” (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 11/6). In Ft. Worth, Dwain Price reports there was a “moment of silence” for Durham yesterday at American Airlines Center before the Trail Blazers-Mavericks game. Mavericks Owner MARK CUBAN said, "J.D. is a Hall Of Famer, he's a legend. We were fortunate to have him here with the Mavs for so many years; he'll be irreplaceable” (FT. WORTH STAR-TELEGRAM, 11/6).

REMEMBERING A LEGEND: In Illinois, Mike Imrem writes Durham was “as natural at broadcasting sports as anyone who ever did games" in Chicago. Durham “respected the games he broadcast and enjoyed them and appreciated working them” (Illinois DAILY HERALD, 11/6). In Chicago, Joe Cowley notes Durham “called Bulls games during MICHAEL JORDAN's first seven seasons.” His “most memorable call might have been Jordan’s shot over CRAIG EHLO to defeat the Cavaliers in the 1989 playoffs” (CHICAGO SUN-TIMES, 11/6). ESPN’s Jackie MacMullan said Durham “was one of the great radio broadcasters of our time.” MacMullan: “He wasn’t a guy that had big, bombastic declarations. He didn’t have gimmicky catchphrases. That’s not what Jim was about. He was consistent (and would) vividly describe the game for you. He was as an old throwback to one of those great old radio guys” (“Around The Horn,” ESPN, 11/5). ESPN.com’s Marc Stein wrote about some of the things he will remember from Durham, including “how he made the broadcasts of some really bad Mavericks teams in the '90s sound as important as the games he called for Michael Jordan's Bulls." He also will recall "how good" Durham and analyst DR. JACK RAMSAY were on ESPN Radio (ESPN.com, 11/5).

Golf Inc. magazine recently released its '12 list of the most powerful people in the sport, and this year's ranking "reflects an industry that is seeing tepid improvement." The people who made the biggest movements this year "are the developers, buyers and operators who have money to invest." But the top of the list is "still dominated by operators and organization leaders," including Troon Golf Chair & CEO DANA GARMANY at No. 1 for the second consecutive year (GOLF INC., fall issue).

In Indianapolis, Shari Rudavsky reports doctors for Colts coach CHUCK PAGANO said that his cancer is “in remission.” Pagano’s oncologist said that a test of his bone marrow "showed no sign of his disease, acute promyelocytic leukemia.” But Indiana Univ. Health Simon Cancer Center associate professor of medicine LARRY CRIPE said that it "is not the same as being cured and Pagano will receive two more rounds of chemotherapy” (INDIANAPOLIS STAR, 11/6).

AMERICA'S FINEST: Packers TE TOM CRABTREE, OT MARSHALL NEWHOUSE and TE RYAN TAYLOR “spent their Saturday playing video games with active duty members of the military from Wisconsin.” The event “took place at the Lambeau Field Atrium as part of the Pro vs. G.I. Joe program.” Members of the soldiers’ families were in attendance at the event, and with the players, "interacted with the soldiers via video conference during and after the game.” The event was “sponsored by WPS Health Insurance through the Operation Fan Mail program” (GREEN BAY PRESS-GAZETTE, 11/4)....The Magic “donated more than 800 tickets to active and retired military personnel and their families as part of Seats For Soldiers Night” at Amway Center for Sunday’s game against the Suns (ORLANDOPINSTRIPEDPOST.com, 11/5).

COME FLY WITH ME: Golf HOFer GARY PLAYER is featured in the N.Y. TIMES' “Frequent Flyer” column. Player: “All I can say is, I would like to meet the person who has flown more than me. I have been traveling for about 60 years, 90 percent of which has been on commercial airlines. I’ve logged more than 15 million miles.” Player added, “I wasted a lot of life sitting in an airline seat. We calculated it once, and it came out to about three years. That’s why I’m so amazed at travel today. I never thought I would live to see the day when there was a nonstop flight from South Africa to the United States” (N.Y. TIMES, 11/6).

NAMES: Patriots LB BRANDON SPIKES has terminated DREW ROSENHAUS as his agent. Rosenhaus declined comment (Liz Mullen, SportsBusiness Journal)....Red Sox 2B DUSTIN PEDROIA is “taking a wait-and-see approach” on his agents SETH and SAM LEVINSON. A few clients have “already jumped ship.” But Pedroia said the Levinsons "have been very good to me and my family” (BOSTON GLOBE, 11/4)....49ers CEO JED YORK and former NFLer GUY MCINTYRE on Thursday launched Second Harvest Food Bank of Santa Clara and San Mateo County’s annual Holiday Food and Fund Drive in San Jose (SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS, 11/3)….The Red Wings and Fifth Third Bank have partnered again on the SHOTS program (Students Helping Others Through Service), an initiative that encourages high school students in southeastern Michigan to volunteer their time in an effort to make a positive impact on their community. Red Wings radio play-by-play announcer KEN KAL will serve as ambassador for the program (Red Wings)….The U.S. Postal Service yesterday announced that its WILLIE STARGELL stamp, commemorating the late Baseball HOFer, had “finished as the most popular player in its Major League Baseball All-Stars Forever competition.” The other stamps honored HOFers JOE DIMAGGIO, LARRY DOBY and TED WILLIAMS (POST-GAZETTE.com, 11/5)….76ers G JASON RICHARDSON sold his six-bedroom home in Charlotte for $1.3M. Meanwhile, Nets F GERALD WALLACE sold his six-bedroom, 8,300-square-foot home in the city for $1.2M (CHARLOTTE BUSINESS JOURNAL, 11/2 issue).